1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for providing RF isolation in multi-pin packaged integrated circuits and related articles.
2. Description of the Related Art
The performance of radio-frequency (RF) systems can be impacted by interference, not just from external sources, but also by interference between various components or modules of a system. For example, leakage of high-power transmitter energy of a transmitter into high-sensitivity receiver circuitry may degrade performance of a transceiver, and may even destroy the receiver. For this reason, steps may be taken to isolate different parts of an RF system.
Physical distance between parts of an RF system can help to reduce interference by increasing the isolation between the parts. The frequency of operation can also impact interference between circuits, with higher operating frequencies generally leading to increased interference.
In packaged radio-frequency integrated circuits (RFIC), isolating the components of the RFIC can be particularly challenging. For example, small die dimensions and couplings through substrates may impact the level of interference or isolation between components. RFICs are generally packaged in enclosures, such as plastic, ceramic, and metal enclosures. These enclosures also may impact the level of isolation between various parts of the RFIC. Some RFICs ground leads between sensitive leads of the RFIC, which can enhance isolation by a few dB.